“Subtitle it!” Campaign: Access to TV and films for everyone

Posted by Lilian Greenwood19pc on February 08, 2017

Everyone should have access to the high quality TV programmes and films that are offered by broadcasters and platform operators in the UK today. But, with thousands of hours of on-demand programming inaccessible to people with hearing and sight loss – due to a lack of subtitles, signing and audio description (“access services”) – urgent action is needed to prevent the digital exclusion of these groups.

Thanks to over 6000 people who’ve have taken action for the campaign, on 8 February 2017 parliament voted in favour of changing the law so that on-demand broadcasters will be legally required to provide minimum levels of subtitles.

We won’t see the changes straight away, but you can count on us to keep track of progress and continue campaigning until our supporters across the UK can watch telly with subtitles – regardless of when, or how, they watch it.

Lilian is backing Action on Hearing Loss’s call for legislation for subtitles, signing and audio description on video-on-demand services.